UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA
SECOND SEMESTER EXAMINATIONS, MAY 2018
COURSE NO : EL 172
COURSE NAME: INSTRUMENTS AND MEASUREMENTS
CLASS : EL I TIME: 2 HRS 30 MIN
NAME: …………………………………………………… INDEX NO.: ………………..………
ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS
SECTION A
ANSWER TRUE OR FALSE in your answer booklet. Half mark will be deducted for every wrong
answer given. You would be instructed as to how to arrange the numbering of your answers in your answer
booklets. The question paper in this Section must be tied loosely into the answer booklet and therefore not
leaving the Exams Room. (30 marks)
1. Voltmeter range may be altered for a moving-iron voltmeter by connecting a resistance in series with
the coil.
2. The damping force brings the moving system to rest at the deflected position reasonably quickly
without any oscillation or negligible oscillation.
3. When current is passed through the coil windings, torque is developed on the coil by the interaction of
the magnetic field and the field set up by the voltage in the coil.
4. The ammeter has a resistance but it is very small and will not affect any reading taken.
5. The cathode ray oscilloscope is probably the most versatile electrical measuring instrument available.
6. The cathode ray oscilloscope can measure phase relationship and frequency.
7. The horizontal scale of the oscilloscope can be used to measure displacement.
8. When two wires with similar electrical properties are joined at both ends and one junction is made hot
and the other cold, a small electric current is produced proportional to the difference in the temperature.
9. The direct type of the thermocouple has the advantage of good sensitivity and slow activity.
10. The indirect type of the thermocouple is less sensitive and more sluggish in operation, but has
applications for high currents.
11. Clamp meters are a very convenient testing instrument that permits voltage measurements on a live
conductor without circuit interruption.
12. The value of control torque depends on the mechanical design of the control device.
13. A multirange ammeter can be constructed simply by employing several values of shunt resistances,
with a rotary switch to select the desired range.
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14. When an instrument is used as in the multirange ammeter, care must be taken to ensure that the shunt
does not become short-circuited, even for a very short instant.
15. To minimize voltmeter loading in multi-range voltmeters, the voltmeter operating current should be
very high.
16. To minimize voltmeter loading in multi-range voltmeters, the resistance connected in series with the
coil should be high.
17. The moving coil instruments can be suitably modified to act either as an ammeter or as a voltmeter.
18. For multi-range voltmeters (MRV), the rotary switch used with the voltmeter should be a break-
before make type.
19. A break-before make type of rotary switch is used in the MRV so that the moving contact will
connect to one terminal before connecting to the next terminal.
20. The MRV has a uniformly divided scale.
21. The MRV has low power consumption.
22. The MRV has no error due to stray magnetic fields.
23. The MRV is suitable for both direct and alternating current.
24. Proper pivoting and balancing weight may reduce frictional errors associated with MRVs.
25. Ammeter sensitivity is determined by the amount of current required by the meter coil to produce
full-scale deflection of the pointer.
26. The Wheatstone bridge is suitable for moderate resistance values.
27. The sensitivity of a galvanometer is governed by the voltage and internal resistance.
28. The Induction Wattmeter measures dc power only.
29. The Dynamometer Wattmeter is used as a standard for calibrated purposes due to their high degree of
accuracy.
30. Induction Wattmeter has high power consumption.
31. Induction Wattmeters are free from the effects of stray fields.
32. The product of ammeter and voltmeter readings gives the actual power.
33. Induction Wattmeters have a uniform scale.
34. The sensing element produces a signal that is related to the quantity being measured.
35. An Intelligent Measuring System is an analogue measuring system.
36. The environment where a measure is taken cannot affect the results of the measure.
37. Resolution is the limits between which readings can be made on an instrument.
38. Damping torque is provided by the induced currents in a metal former or core on which the coil is
wound or in the circuit of the coil itself.
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39. Multi-range voltmeters can have their power consumption made very low.
40. For spiral springs and strip suspensions, the controlling torque is directly proportional to the angle of
deflection of the coil.
41. At final deflected position, the controlling torque becomes equal and opposite to the damping torque.
42. In the moving coil instrument, the deflecting angle is directly proportional to the current in the movable
coil.
43. If the ammeter resistance is not very much smaller than the load resistance, the load current can be
substantially altered by the inclusion of the ammeter in the circuit.
44. To operate a moving coil instrument around a current level of say 5 A is impractical, owing to the
bulk and weight of the coil that would be required.
45. The ammeter resistance must be very much smaller than the load resistance otherwise the load
current can be substantially altered by the inclusion of the ammeter in the circuit.
CHOOSE WHICH DOES NOT BELONG FROM QUESTIONS 61 TO 70 and ANSWER A, B, C or D
46. A. Controlling device B. Deflecting device
C. Damping device D. Calibration device
47. A. Balance weight B. Gravity control
C. Control weight D. Spindle
48. A. Air friction B. Fluid friction
C. Damping force D. Eddy current
49. A. Sensing element B. Signal converter
C. Display element D Signal transmitter
50. A. Instrument noise B. Man-made-noise
C. Atmospheric noise D. Space noise
51. A. Calibration Errors B. Construction Errors
C. Approximation Errors D. Ageing Errors
52. A. Panel instrument B. Indicating instrument
C. Integrating instrument D. Recording instrument
53. A. Scale B. Moving Coil
C. Spring D. Iron Core
54. A. Control spring B. Pointer
C. Spindle D. Balance weight
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55. A. Repulsion moving –iron instrument B. Attraction moving –iron instrument
C. Moving –iron instrument Vane D. Single-iron moving –iron instrument
56. A. Johnson Noise B. Internal Noise
C. Thermal Noise D. White Noise
57. A. Signal Conditioner B. Signal Transmitter
D. Signal Processor D. Signal Converter
58. A. Man-made-noise B. Atmospheric Noise
C. External Noise D. Space Noise
59. A. Ignition Systems B. Spark-producing Mechanisms
C. Fluorescent Lights D. Commutators in Electric Motors
60. A. Random Errors B. Observational Errors
E. Stochastic Errors D. Human Errors
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SECTION B Answer all two questions in this section
QUESTION 1
a) i) What is the null method of operation as employed in bridge circuits? (2 marks)
ii) Draw the circuit diagram of a Wheatstone bridge. (3 marks)
iii) Using the circuit diagram of the Wheatstone bridge and all its designations, find the
expressions of the following:
a) the Thevenin’s voltage, VTH
b) the Thevenin’s resistance, RTH and
c) and expression of the galvanometer current, Ig. (6 marks)
iv) Given the Wheatstone bridge circuit with the following values of the bridge elements: R1=100 Ω,
R2=1000 Ω, R3=200 Ω, and R4=2010 Ω. The battery voltage is 5 V and its internal resistance
negligible. The galvanometer has a current sensitivity of 10 mm/μA and an internal resistance of
100 Ω. Calculate the deflection of the galvanometer caused by the 10-Ω unbalance in arm with the
resistance of 2010 Ω. (6 marks)
b) i) Give two advantages and disadvantages of multi-range voltmeter. (4 marks)
ii) Using the multi-range voltmeter with a coil resistance of 150 Ω and a full scale deflection
current of 100 μA to be used as a voltmeter in (i), determine the required value of resistances
for each range with the following voltmeter ranges: 85 V, 135 V and 185 V. (6 marks)
c) i)How are measuring instruments broadly classified? (4 marks)
ii)
Explain the difference between Indicating Instruments and Integrating Instruments?
(4 marks)
(Total marks = 35)
QUESTION 2
a) i) Define electrical noise? (2 marks)
b) i) Explain briefly the three basic parts of measuring instruments? (6 marks)
ii) State two advantages and disadvantages of the Induction Wattmeter. (4 marks)
iii) What role do you think the damping device plays in a measuring instrument? (3 marks)
iv) Draw the multi-range voltmeter using the series-connected multiplier resistor for resistors R1,
R2 and R3. (4 marks)
c) i) Name three basic parts of the cathode ray tube and state briefly what each does.
(3 marks)
ii) Common sources of errors in measuring instruments include:
i. Observational Errors (3 marks)
ii. Approximation Errors (3 marks)
iii. Insertion Errors. (3 marks)
Briefly explain the errors above and with the aid of circuit diagrams indicate further your
understanding of Insertion Errors. (4 marks)
(Total marks = 35)
Dr C. K. Amuzuvi/J. Annan
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